Locomotive stoker



March 5, 1935. J. w. MYERS LocoMoTIvE sToKER l Filed Feb. 5, 1952 IVENTOR.

AA/14M ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES 1,993,304 o LoCoMoTIvE s'ronnn John Mylrs, Roanoke, Va., assigner to @he Standard ,Stoker Company, Incorporated, a corporation of Delaware Application February 5 ,loleims- This invention relates to improvements in locomotivestokers of the `scatter feed type in which feed isV conveyed from the fuel bin to the nrebox firing opening, the invention being particu- 5 larly directed to improvements in the fuel con- Veying system thereof.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of a stoker fuel transfer conduit fixedly mounted on the ntender with respect to vertical and longitudinal movement and pivotally mounted for lateral movement with reference'to a yerticalaxis.

It is the further object o f this invention to pro- Vide' in a Stoker having al transfer conduit disposedon the tender as described, a novel arrange- Y ment of the fuel conveying system which consists in universallywjointing one end offan eX- tensible intermediate conduit to a riser conduit secured to the backhead and connecting the 4oppositeend of the extensible intermediate conduit to the fuel transfer conduit in a manner so 4that the intermediate conduit is permitted to swing upon'a transversely extending axis. By these provisions, ample flexure of the fuel conveying system isattained to provide for angular displacement and longitudinal movement between the locomotive and tender while rounding c urves or passing over cross-overs and turntables.

yOther objects and advantages derived from the inventionreside Vin certain improvementsof details as will appear in the specication and in ythe Adrawing annexed thereto, in which Fig. 1 is a central 'vertical longitudinal section ,through'adjacent portions of'a locomotive and its tender, showing the invention partly in 'section and Vpartly in elevation;

Fig. 2 Lis asectional view taken on the line 2.-. 2 of Figure 1 and `Fig.'3 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 1 showing a modified form ofthe invention.

Referring toFigures land 2, the locomotive is 4designated by the letter vA, its tender by B .and ,acouplingmember therebetween by C. Ifhe locomotive isprovided witha firebox 10, a backhead 11 having a firingjopening 12therethrough and ja ,cab ,deck 1 3 extending rearwardly of the backhead." The tender includes ya Iuel ,bin le having' its deck 15 centrally apertured as at16 through `which fuel may f all by gravity into" the .open mouth fuel transfer conduit 17 of the fuel 1vconveying systemfS`,pas ,controlled bythe shift- ,.,able ,plates 18.

, Y AThe -transfer conduit 1 '7 includes a Ajtrough 1 9 .having .a eddie member eefermed finely. ,there-Y Lyviiih intermediate .its l enel,s fer surpertiee #be 1932, Serial No. 591,127 (elf lee-15) transfer conduit from'tlie'frame 31 of the tender 'e B. Depending'fr'em the underside ef .the Saddle member 2p is afoot plate 2 2vvhich rests'upon the horizontal porton'y 23' of the Isupport bracket 2.4, feiflly'eeuredltethereiiderifreme 21 A iler- .5 tically disposed shaft or'pin 25passes through the oetipleie" 22 Cif-"the Saddle member 20 and the horizontalportion 2'3og`f the support bracket, the Vpin preferably 'i passing ,freelyf through these Dertiene Se that 'the irenlefer Conduit may .have e free lateral mariene. se ehe .einkee Witheet permitting any longitudinaljmovement thereof with respect to the tender; "Iheputerextremities 0f the Shaft `er pin 27,5 Yere prevded with thie threadedcaps 2 6'and 27 wlierebythey maybe adjusted s o that Athe adjacent -Yfaces of the'-ff o ot plete@ e119 Yei iheheiieeeel Dertien 23 xmay be meiieeined eenetenily pile e'v eeriteetinreletih, thereby preventing any vertioalmovement'f the transfer conduit.- k,The trough' 'member'flQ may ,Y

be further supported'bypedestals 'such as 2 8'which may be secured feith'erftothe V'si'.ip'port bracket y24 as'sliown,` or to the tender frame 21, the't'ru'gh 19 being free'to'slide upon this pedestal.

,Secured tothe front v'vallf2`9fof the trough19 is a connecting 4member'30u/Ilich has a tubular section 31 thereofcommuni'oa'ting with th'eperiing 3 2 lin the front'vvallA29'. "Theforwardextension of `this connecting memberfis substantially U -shaped in :vertical transverse cross section, having the parallelfsidewalls `33,134 andthe'arcuate shaped bottom 35 yvvlikii is alsoof similar' form inY itsvertical v-lon'gitu'dinal' section.Y The forward extension'of the'connecting member 30, may, if desiredjrb'e provided'with a `top wall'"V whichV 35 has an enlarged s'ection'37 t'o receive a horizontal, Vtransversely extending, shaft 38." "l 1 Depending from 'the extremities of Ythe shaft 38v by its sidewalls 39, 40,]s the rearward vportion 4 1 of the intermediate conduit'section '42"'which serves to connecttheriser 'conduit 43 of the locomotive Vand the transfer conduit 17. 'The-portion 451 is ralso l'J-shaped in vertical `transverse cross section and ha's'itsY sidewalls 39, 40 and'its bottoinfarcuate wall 46fin` intimate parallel relation 45 with the corresponding walls of the'connecting member 3 0.V Thus, the intermediate conduit may swing pon theliriontal, transversely extending snee ,ee 'wenn lese-ef fuer:

Forwardly of its rearwa'dportion 41, the interv579 mediateconduit"section 4'2is 'circularin tansverse'vertioalfsection;lipn"the forward 'end 47 of which i'sslidably mounted'a vspherical vs'egiriejrit 48. The lower portion of the riser condui't'43 terminatesbelow theoab deck v13 in a spherical 55 seat 49, which, together with the'spherical segy ment 48 and a split clamp 50, forms a universal connection 70 between the riser conduit 43 and .project fuel over the firebed from the distributing table 54 as delivered thereto by the riser conduit 43 of the conveying system S. l

Suitable means for advancing fuel through the conduits are provided and include a screw conveyor 55, the rearward portion 56vr and 'the forward portion 57 of which are universally connected as at 58, at the joint between said transfer conduit 17 and said intermediateconduit 42. 'Ihe conveyor screws are driven in the-usual manner,`as by means of a motor connected to gearing at the rear of the trough 19, not shown.

In the modified form shown in Figure 3, a

^ screw 59 is mounted within the riser conduit 43,

the screw 59 being universally connected as at 60, to the screw portion 57 of the intermediate conduit 42 and isV supported at its forward terminus by a bearing 6l.` A threaded nut 62 engages the shaft extension 63 of the screw 59 and maintains the screw within the riser conduit when the locomotive and tender are uncoupled. To provide that a fuel conveying system of novel form has been provided which is characterized by the improved means of mounting and relating the fuel conveying conduits one with another. The function of the fuelconveying conduits, when the locomotive and tender are negotiating curves, Crossovers or turntables, may be summarized as follows: the mounting of the transfer conduit 17 about the vertical pin 25 together with the universal connection 70, between the riser conduit 43 and the extensible intermediate conduit 42 allows for vertical, lateral and longitudinal movement in the conduit system. Since the transfer conduit V17` is rigidly' mounted with respect to longitudinal movementof the tender and movement with reference to a horizontal, transversely extending axis, the forward end 47 of the intermediate conduit 42 is in a telescopic slidable relation with the sphericalsegment 48 of the ball joint 70, while the rearward portion 41 ofthe intermediate V,conduit is jointed to the transfer conduit 17 so asto swing about the transverse shaft 38. Thus thefuel conveying system is organized so as to provide ample ilexure ofv its conduits to compensate for articulation between the locomotive and the4 tender. In the modified form, the function of the conduits is the same as in the preferred form. In this modified form, since the screw conveyor 55 isv held in .bearings at its extremities, the screw section 57is provided with a telescopic connection to provide for -the movement between the locomotive* and the tenderr I claim: i

- 1. In a locomotive provided with a firebox having a firing opening therein and a tender for said locomotive, a fuel conveying system comprising a transfer conduit flxedly mounted on said tender with respect to vertical and longitudinal movement thereof, and pivotally mounted intermediate its ends;4 for lateral movements with reference to a vertical axis, a riser conduit attached to said locomotive and arranged to deliver fuel through said firing opening, and an intermediate conduit section flexibly connected at its ends to said riser conduit and said transfer conduit.

j h2. In a locomotive provided with a rebox having a firing opening therein and a tender for said locomotive,'a fuel conveying system comprising a transfer conduit iixedly mounted on said tender with respect to vertical and longitudinal movementthereof, and pivotally mounted intermediate its ends for lateral movement with reference to a vertical axis, a riser conduit attached to said locomotive and arranged to deliver fuel through said locomotive, a fuel conveying system comprising a transfer conduit xedly mounted on said tender with respect to vertical and longitudinal movement thereof and pivotally mounted. intermediate its ends for lateral movement with reference ,to a vertical axis, a riser conduit attached to said locomotive and arranged to deliver fuel through said firing opening, and an extensible intermediate conduit section connecting said'riser conduit and said transfer conduit, one end Vof said intermediate conduit being universally jointed to one of said named conduits and the other end thereof being jointed to the other of said named conduits to swing upon a transversely extending axis.

4. In a locomotive provided with a rebox having a firing opening in the backhead thereof and a tender'for said locomotive, a Stoker comprising a transfer conduit xedly mounted on said tender with respect to vertical and longitudinal movement thereof and pivotally mounted intermediate its ends for lateral movement with reference to a vertical axis, a riser conduit secured to said backhead and delivering through said firing opening, and an extensible intermediate conduit section connecting said riser conduit and said transfer conduit, one end of said intermediate conduit being universally jointed to said riser conduit and the other end thereof being jointed to said transfer conduit to swing upon a transversely extending axis.

5. In a locomotive provided with a iirebox having a firing opening in the backhead thereof and a tender for said locomotive, a Stoker comprising a transfer conduit fixedly'mounted on said tender with respect to vertical and longitudinal ver'sely extending axis, and screw means for advancing fuel through said conduits.

6. In a locomotive provided with a rebox having a iiring opening in the backhead thereof and a tender for said locomotive, a stoker comprising a transfer conduit xedly mounted on said tender with respect to vertical and longitudinal movement thereof and pivotally mounted intermediate its ends for lateral movement with reference to a vertical axis, a riser conduit secured to said backhead and delivering through said firing opening, an extensible intermediate conduit section connecting said riser conduit and said transfer conduit, one end of said intermediate conduit being universally jointed to said riser conduit and the other end thereof being jointed to said transfer conduit to swing upon a transversely extending axis, a screw in said transfer conduit and a screw in said intermediate conduit, said screw being universally connected adjacent their ends in coincidence with the joint between said transfer conduit and said intermediate conduit.

'7. In a locomotive provided with a irebox having a firing opening in the backhead thereof and a tender for said locomotive, a 'stoker comprising a transfer conduit fixedly mounted on said tender with respect to vertical and longitudinal movement thereof and pivotally mounted intermediate its ends for lateral movement with reference to a vertical axis, a riser conduit secured to said backhead and delivering through said firing opening, an extensible intermediate conduit section connecting said riser conduit and said transfer conduit, one end `of said intermediate conduit being universally jointed to said riser conduit and the other end thereof being jointed to said transfer conduit to swing upon a transversely extending axis, and a screw in each of said conduits, said screws being universally connected at their adjacent ends in coincidence with the joints in said conduits.Y

8. In a locomotive provided with a rebox having a firing opening in the backhead thereof and a tender for said locomotive, a stoker comprising a transfer conduit xedly mounted on said tender with respect to vertical and longitudinal movement thereof and pivotally mounted intermediate its ends for lateral movement with Areference to a vertical axis, a riser conduit secured to said backhead and delivering through said firing opening, an extensible intermediate conduit section connecting said riser conduit and said Vtransfer conduit, one end of said intermediate conduit being universally jointed to sai'd'riser conduit and the other end thereof being jointed to said transfer conduit to swing upon a transversely extending axis, screw means for advancing fuel through said conduits including a screw in said transfer conduit, a screw in said extensible intermediate conduit and a screw in said riser conduit, said screws being universally jointed at their adjacent ends in coincidence with the joints in said conduits, and a bearing for supporting and maintaining said riser conduit screw in its relation with the joint between said riser conduit and said extensible intermediate conduit, the screw in said last named conduit being comprised of telescopic screw members.

9. In a stoker for use with a locomotive having a tender and a fuel bin, a fuel transfer conduit mounted beneath the tender fuel bin, a bracket rigidly secured to said tender, said bracket being provided with a horizontal portion, 'a saddle `member formed with vsaid transfer conduit, said saddle member being disposed intermediate the ends thereof and having a foot plate depending therefrom and resting upon the horizontal portion of said bracket, and means Yfor mounting said transfer conduit fixedly with respect to longitudinal and vertical movement of the tender and pivotally with reference to movement about a vertical axis, said means including a vertically extending shaft engageably passing through the foot member of said saddle member and the horizontal portion of said bracket, and means engaging said shaft whereby the adjacent faces of said foot member and said bracket horizontal portion are maintained in contact with each other.

10. In a locomotive and tender, the combination of a Stoker feed conduit system comprising a forward riser conduit section rigidly secured on the locomotive, a rearward transfer conduit section fixedly mounted on the tender with respect to vertical and longitudinal movement thereof and pivotally mounted intermediate its ends for lateral movement with reference to Va. 

